Succeed at Interview Using the 5 P’s

Posted: 19/12/2014 by
Cox Purtell

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string(4135) "In Recruitment no two days are the same, and the same goes for all of the candidates I have met. When I first arrived in Australia, fresh off of the boat from Ireland, I had never temped before but I was lucky enough to stumble across Cox Purtell and become part of a team of talented recruiters.
This is my advice to myself 2 years ago. It's also the advice I'd give to all of you out there looking to jump head first into a role that you are passionate about:
My Do’s & Don’ts of Interviews; For Candidates - It’s all about the 5 P’s with this one!
Do's

Punctuality: Always be punctual. Showing up to an interview late implies that you do not value your interviewer's time and you are unreliable.

Presentation: It’s a sad reality; but your appearance sets your first impression. Presentation is a key factor in people’s perception of you. Making an effort shows that you care and should be everyone’s step one to a successful interview.

Posture: You can tell a lot about a person based on their posture, to me, good posture means that you are taking the conversation seriously, you are professional and you are very self-aware.

Politeness: In my eyes, people that are polite are also both genuine and sincere. You will always win you points with me if you are polite and appreciative that I have taken the time to meet you - As I am always appreciative when candidates take the time to meet with me.

Preparation: As the old saying goes “Fail to prepare; Prepare to Fail”. Always research the company and most importantly; research yourself. Understand your previous or current role, including responsibilities, skills and experiences (good and bad).

Don’ts

Punctuality: NEVER do as one of my candidates did; show up at reception 20 minutes late for an interview, shrug your shoulders at the receptionist and say “Well - better late than never!”. Late may be better than never - but understand recruiters are on a tight schedule, replace that sentence with a courtesy call before the interview, or better yet... arrive on time!

Presentation: Don't show up to an interview in a belly top, shorts and flip flops. Believe it or not, this actually happens. Look sharp and smart. Do your CV justice. Books are often judged by their covers.

Posture: Do not swivel in your chair, slouch, or fidget. Body language is a huge part of how someone perceives you. Show me you are engaged with the interview and you will be one step closer to getting that job you want.

Politeness: You would think that most people would have the wherewithal to know not to curse in an interview - think again! It happens more than you would think and it never fails to shock me.

Preparation: Don't be underprepared! I find it astounding the amount of candidates I interview that struggle to remember what they have done in previous roles. It can be hard to sum up your previous role in a few sentences, but that's why doing your homework is integral to getting the result you seek.

In Recruitment no two days are the same, and the same goes for all of the candidates I have met. When I first arrived in Australia, fresh off of the boat from Ireland, I had never temped before but I was lucky enough to stumble across Cox Purtell and become part of a team of talented recruiters.

This is my advice to myself 2 years ago. It’s also the advice I’d give to all of you out there looking to jump head first into a role that you are passionate about:

My Do’s & Don’ts of Interviews; For Candidates – It’s all about the 5 P’s with this one!

Do’s

Punctuality: Always be punctual. Showing up to an interview late implies that you do not value your interviewer’s time and you are unreliable.

Presentation: It’s a sad reality; but your appearance sets your first impression. Presentation is a key factor in people’s perception of you. Making an effort shows that you care and should be everyone’s step one to a successful interview.

Posture: You can tell a lot about a person based on their posture, to me, good posture means that you are taking the conversation seriously, you are professional and you are very self-aware.

Politeness: In my eyes, people that are polite are also both genuine and sincere. You will always win you points with me if you are polite and appreciative that I have taken the time to meet you – As I am always appreciative when candidates take the time to meet with me.

Preparation: As the old saying goes “Fail to prepare; Prepare to Fail”. Always research the company and most importantly; research yourself. Understand your previous or current role, including responsibilities, skills and experiences (good and bad).

Don’ts

Punctuality: NEVER do as one of my candidates did; show up at reception 20 minutes late for an interview, shrug your shoulders at the receptionist and say “Well – better late than never!”. Late may be better than never – but understand recruiters are on a tight schedule, replace that sentence with a courtesy call before the interview, or better yet… arrive on time!

Presentation: Don’t show up to an interview in a belly top, shorts and flip flops. Believe it or not, this actually happens. Look sharp and smart. Do your CV justice. Books are often judged by their covers.

Posture: Do not swivel in your chair, slouch, or fidget. Body language is a huge part of how someone perceives you. Show me you are engaged with the interview and you will be one step closer to getting that job you want.

Politeness: You would think that most people would have the wherewithal to know not to curse in an interview – think again! It happens more than you would think and it never fails to shock me.

Preparation: Don’t be underprepared! I find it astounding the amount of candidates I interview that struggle to remember what they have done in previous roles. It can be hard to sum up your previous role in a few sentences, but that’s why doing your homework is integral to getting the result you seek.

To finalise; if you follow the 5 P’s; Punctuality, Presentation, Posture, Politeness and Preparation you WILL succeed at interview and be one step closer to the job of your dreams. Good luck!